UPS drivers are among the safest on the roads. Heeding a few hints means you can be, too. (NAPS)

(NAPSI)—According to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, there are 5.25 million driving accidents a year in the
U.S.—but they needn’t happen to you.

What You Can Do

• Don’t use your smartphone while driving. Drivers talking on
phones, hand-held or hands-free, can miss seeing up to half of their
surroundings, such as pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists or other
drivers.

• Drive “defensively.” Be aware of what drivers around
you are doing.

• Keep your eyes moving while you drive. Check all mirrors.

• Leave at least two to four car lengths between your car and the
one ahead, six or eight at night or in bad weather.

• Obey all speed limits and signs.

• Never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or if you are
fatigued.

• Always wear your seat belt.

• Adjust all mirrors and seats properly before starting the car.

• Use turn signals, and ensure your lights are on at night and in
bad weather. Make yourself visible with horn, lights and signals.

• Look out for the truck and bus “No-Zone.” Those
drivers have big blind spots. If you can’t see the drivers in their
rearview mirrors, they can’t see you.

What Others Are Doing

Many of the professionals who drive trucks, taxis, limousines and buses
are recognized for their attention to safety. For example, the 127,000
small-package drivers at UPS are among the safest on the roads, logging more
than 3 billion miles per year and delivering nearly 5 billion packages
annually.

In fact, the company recently inducted 1,582 drivers into its elite
“Circle of Honor,” raising to 10,503 the number of drivers who
haven’t had a preventable accident for 25 years or more.

Collectively, these drivers logged 14 billion miles and achieved more than
257,195 years of safe driving throughout their careers. That’s enough
to circle the equator 547,000 times, or make 206 round-trips to Mars.

Before ever making a delivery, all UPS drivers are taught safe driving
methods through the company’s defensive driving platform. The training
continues throughout their careers. The company’s UPS Integrad training
school for delivery drivers, and Driver Trainer School (DTS) for
tractor-trailer instructors, boast some of the industry’s most rigorous
safety training, with the most up-to-date technology, including virtual
reality devices.

The company even helps those it shares the road with stay safe, through
its UPS Road Code training for teens.